Present Laughter

Summary

1981 BBC presentation of a production of Present Laughter by Noël Coward, recorded at the Vaudeville Theatre, London.

Theatre play

Present Laughter by Noël Coward (1899-1973) [more information]

Play synopsis

'The plot follows a few days in the life of the successful and self-obsessed light comedy actor Garry Essendine as he prepares to travel for a touring commitment in Africa. Amid a series of events bordering on farce, Garry has to deal with women who want to seduce him, placate both his long-suffering secretary and his estranged wife, cope with a crazed young playwright, and overcome his impending mid-life crisis (since he has recently turned forty).' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Present_Laughter.

Production history

First staged in 1942.

Date of transmission

Sunday 6 December 1981

Time

7.40-9.00pm and 9.25-10.35pm

Channel

BBC1

Production company

BBC

Credits

Director

Rick Gardner

Producer

Keith Williams

Playwright

Noël Coward (1899-1973)

Cast

Elizabeth Counsell	Joanna Lyppiatt
Julian Fellowes	Roland Maule
Michael Fleming	Morris Dixon
Ian Gardiner	Henry Lyppiatt
Jill Johnson	Lady Saltburn
Belinda Lang	Daphne Stillington
Sheila Mitchell	Miss Erikson
Dinah Sheridan	Liz Essendine
Donald Sinden (1923-2014)	Garry Essendine
Colin Spaull	Fred
Gwen[doline] Watford	Monica Reed

Additional details

Play tags

comedy; theatre or acting, as theme

Audiovisual sources

Title

Present Laughter (BBC, 1981)

Archive

BBC Information and Archives [more information]

Address

White City
London
UK

Telephone

+44 (0)20 8008 2288

Website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/informationandarchives/

Access

BBC Information and Archives is not open to the public.

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 10 December 1981 (Magazine)

Linking notes

long article, pp. 15-16; listing, p. 59